If you're tired, you take a Napa! You don't move to Napa!

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Before the Wedding

Hey guys! Long time no talk. Sorry for the blogging lull. I was just complaining talking to Mrs. Barn about how I’m stuck in a blogging rut. I am in kind of a limbo period… all my projects and shopping are basically done, and it’s (just barely!) too soon to start making wedding decisions with the resort. Anyway, Mrs. Barn had a great idea that we should do a before the wedding / after the wedding questionnaire to compare our experiences on the front and back end of such a huge, life changing event. I LOVED the idea! We collaborated and came up with a few wedding related questions. My answers (before the wedding, obvi) are posted here, and her “after the wedding” answers will be up shortly. We hope you like it!

My biggest priority is photography. That was one of the largest line items in the budget. Since we’re going to such a beautiful, tropical destination I really want to ensure that I have good photographs to capture the day. I also prefer the photo journalistic style approach to photography, and I can’t wait for lots of “in the moment” shots of people (hopefully) having a blast throughout the event. I really hope to see the love and emotion in everyone’s faces once we get our pictures back.

My biggest concern for the day is hoping that our guests have fun. I know my situation is a little unique, but since everyone is travelling so far, and spending so much money to go on vacation and attend our wedding, I feel extra pressure to make sure they feel it’s worth the expense. This is probably ridiculous, since it’s literally our immediate family and closest friends, but there you have it. I’m scared people won’t have fun, will regret spending the dough, and making the trip. (Hey, I never said it was a rational concern.)

What DIY Project do you / did you care about the most?

I’m not a very crafty person, so my DIY projects are pretty basic. I think I am most proud of our petal fan programs. Those babies took a lot of work, and it was the one DIY project that Mr. BC was able to help me with. So they are a little extra special in my book!

What is / was your worst wedding related nightmare?

The wedding nightmare I have on a reoccurring basis is that on the day of the wedding I realize that I’ve forgotten to meet with the wedding coordinator to finalize all the details. (This meeting is supposed to day place the day after we arrive at the resort.) In the dream, I’m always running around like a crazy person on the day of the wedding trying to track her down. In some instances it means the wedding can’t actually happen because nothing is confirmed. Trés stressful.

Do you think you are going to eat/ Did you actually eat?

I really, really hope I eat dinner! I think it’s going to work out since we have such a small wedding. But I’m pretty sure all brides say that, so we’ll see. (Although, at this point in time, we haven’t made any menu selections, so I don’t know what I’m theoretically missing yet! Heh.)

What is the picture you think you have to have/ What is your favorite picture?

Hmm. This is one I haven’t given any thought to. I don’t necessarily want one specific picture, but A WHOLE LOT of pretty pictures. If I had to pick, I’d say I am the most excited about really romantic beach sunset portraits with Mr. BC. (And I can’t lie, I am PUMPED about the TTD/Rock the Frock photo shoot!)

What is your biggest fear about what could go wrong versus what was the worst thing that happened at your wedding?

My biggest fear, like my nightmares, is that the entire wedding is totally messed up. Planning a destination wedding is (supposed to be) low key: you make selections out of a catalog, show up, and meet with a wedding coordinator the day after you arrive to confirm everything. This sounds great in theory, but to a planner like myself, the letting go can be a bit tough. Ultimately, I know that weddings are an industry at the resort, and that weddings are fine, running machine. But irrationally, I’m terrified something (er, everything?) is going to get messed up, or lost in the shuffle. What if they forget our cake topper, or toasting flutes? What if the guestbook never gets set up? What if the programs or favors don’t get set out? In the end though, I am trying to remember that these are THINGS, and so not crucial to the actual wedding. The “stuff” is the icing; marrying Mr. BC in front of our loved ones is the delicious cake.

What are you looking forward to the most / What was your favorite memory?

I am most looking forward to the actual wedding ceremony… like, the entire thing! Walking down the aisle with my dad, having Mr. BC see me in my wedding dress for the first time, meeting his gaze as I walk towards him, holding his hands and pledging our love and lives to each other. I CAN’T WAIT FOR IT ALL!

What do you think your guests will enjoy the most/ What did your guests mention the most?

Realistically, I think our guests will enjoy the all-inclusive nature of the resort the most. Who wouldn’t?

10. What do you plan on doing after the wedding is over/ What did you do afterwards?

This is a tough one, as our reception is probably going to end at 9 or 10 pm. (Extending the reception past three hours, which is what is included in the wedding package, is SUPER expensive.) Depending on how everyone is feeling, we may hit the disco or just head to one of the ten (!!!) bars at the resort. Or, maybe stuff some more food into our faces at a restaurant. On the unlikely change that everyone is tired, dehydrated, or exhausted from all of the excitement, sun, humidity, and heat, I’m also okay with calling it a day.

Bonus:

Do you intend on donning lingerie for the evening/ Did you use it or crash afterwards?

I am definitely packing “honeymoon attire”, but depending on how tired we are, I may not use it on the wedding night. I have heard for years how exhausted the bride and groom are after a full day of excitement, stress, nerves, and adrenaline. Mr. BC and I have been together for a loooong time, and we’ve got years ahead of us (heck, we’ve got two weeks of honeymoon in the DR!) so I’m not going to stress the wedding night.

Stay tuned for Mrs. Barn’s post-wedding answers. Do you think her answers will be very different from mine? How do your answers compare? Do you think you’ll feel differently about your wedding priorities, concerns, or biggest fears after your big day?